1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to tube cutting tools, and in particular to pipe cutting devices as generally used in the plumbing art.
2. Description of the Related Art
Tubing cutters of this general kind comprise a clamp with a U-type open end into which the tubing is inserted. One or two rollers support the tubing and bias the same against an oppositely disposed cutting roller. As the device is rotated about the longitudinal axis of the pipe, the cutting roller cuts into the material and thus severs the tubing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,206,996 to McDaniel describes a tubing cutter with a single cutting roller and two biasing and guide rollers. The tubing is automatically retained within the triangular configuration formed by the two guide rollers and the cutting roller. The biasing force, with which the cutting roller is effectively forced into the tubing material, is provided by a spring.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,305,205 to Girala discloses a self-clamping cutting tool which, in one embodiment, is a power-driven pipe cutter. A cutting head is driven about the pipe axis by means of a power mechanism with a motor and a one-way ratchet mechanism. The device is quite complicated and thus expensive.
None of the prior art hand-held tubing and pipe cutters, except for Girala's, are fully automatic and completely power driven, i.e. they all require a certain amount of manual power application during the cutting operation.